§56-4-24. Right to amend in general.
The plaintiff may of right amend his declaration or bill at
any time before the appearance of the defendant; and,
notwithstanding such appearance, in any action, suit, motion or
other proceeding, the court, if in its opinion substantial justice
will be promoted thereby, may, at any time before final judgment or
decree, and upon such terms as it may deem just, permit any
pleading to be amended, or material supplemental matter to be set
forth in amended or supplemental pleadings, introducing a necessary
party, discontinuing as to a party, eliminating from a multifarious
bill all but one of the equitable causes of action alleged, or
changing the form but not the cause of action, except that no
proceeding by motion shall be converted by amendment into a formal
action at law, or vice versa, and the court may allow any other
amendment in matter of form or substance in any process which is
not void, pleading or proceeding, which may enable the plaintiff to
sustain the action, suit, motion or proceeding for the cause for
which it was intended to be brought, or enable the defendant to
make full and complete defense.